“Bethany,” the girl replied, a little less timidly this time.
“Well then, Bethany, how would you like a warm bath and some dry clothes? Then maybe a spot of supper?”
Bethany nodded but looked up to Dormael expectantly.
“It’s alright, Bethany,” Dormael said, squatting down to her level, “This nice lady is Nan, and she will make sure that you get whatever you need.”
“Don’t leave me,” she said pleadingly, and his heart gave one of those involuntary jerks again.
“Listen, young one, you go and get warm and fed, and I’ll come see you as soon as you’re done, alright? Right now I’ve got something to do, and then I’ll come to check on you. Don’t worry, Nan will take good care of you,” Dormael said soothingly, patting the little girl’s head. She nodded, but did look a little worried as she let Nan lead her from their company. She looked back at the two wizards about three times on her way down the hall and they waved at her encouragingly as she was led away.
“What happened to the poor dear?” asked Lyssa, looking sadly after the little girl.
“Beaten, raped…Evmir only knows,” said D’Jenn quietly, looking over at the pretty blonde serving maid.
“Who would do such a thing?” Lyssa asked, putting her hand to her mouth.
“An evil man, my dear, an evil man,” said Dormael, while he unwrapped the impromptu bandage from his injured right hand. The pain was returning to his body now that the excitement of the evening was over, and he was starting to feel hurts that he had not even realized he had acquired during their nighttime foray at the castle. He grunted at the sight of his bloodied hand, and Lyssa gave a low crooning moan as she looked down at it.
“Oh, you’re hurt,” she said concernedly, “Let me see that. Oh, that’s going to need mending. You’ll just have to come down to my room this evening and let me patch you up.” She winked at him with that last word, and D’Jenn rolled his eyes. Dormael grinned hungrily at Lyssa and then sheepishly at D’Jenn.
“You know, I think that you’ll have to have Reytha patch up D’Jenn,” Dormael said in as serious a tone as he could muster, “He took a nasty blow or two to the ribs in one of the fights. It was a close thing. If it wasn’t for his martial prowess, we would’ve been captured for sure.”
“There were fights?” asked Lyssa in a whisper, amazement bleeding through her tone.
“Oh yes, loads of fights,” said Dormael in a whisper, leaning closer to her, “If you call Reytha down to tend to his wounds, we’ll go right in and tell you girls all about them.”
“I’ll tell her,” Lyssa said, looking wide eyed from Dormael to D’Jenn.
Who is Reytha? D’Jenn’s fingers flashed so only Dormael could see them.
Raven-haired girl that brings the bathwater, you’ve seen her. Very friendly, but timid, Dormael signaled back.
Oh, yes. She’ll do quite well alright, D’Jenn signaled.
“Oh, and Lyssa,” Dormael said with mock sincerity, “I think you should nick some wine from the cellars. After tonight, we’ll need a drink. First, though, we have to go talk to Alton and change out of these wet clothes. Then, we’ll be right back down here so you can have a look at us.”
“You always have the best of ideas,” Lyssa smiled back at Dormael, and then skipped off down the hallway to finish what she had been doing. Dormael smiled at D’Jenn, who clapped him soundly on the back with a small splash of rainwater, and the two moved towards the staircase that led to their rooms to change.
Want me to punch you a few times in the gut? It will make it look more real. Might be a bit more impressive, Dormael signaled at D’Jenn. D’Jenn answered by laughing out loud and shaking his head, not even bothering to answer his cousin’s joke. The two began tiredly climbing the stairs, when Nan came shuffling down them in the opposite direction.
“Dormael, Alton needs you two right away,” she said urgently.
“Don’t we have time to change, Nan? It’s really cold out, you know,” Dormael replied.
“It’s Lady Shawna. She’s awake!”
****
Chapter Five
The Fall of House Llewan
Dormael and D’Jenn hurried up the three flights of stairs that would take them to Shawna’s room. The news that the girl was finally awake came as a shock, but a welcome one. Now they could put the entire story together, and find out what in the Six Hells was going on here. Coming up onto the third floor the cousins turned down the hallway to Shawna’s room, where the door was open, and bright orange firelight was flickering warmly on the wooden floor of the hallway. Dormael and D’Jenn shuffled hurriedly into the room.
Shawna was lying against the headboard of her large bed, her lower back supported by a small pile of pillows, spooning soup slowly from a bowl that rested in her lap. Her skin was still slightly pale, but Dormael thought that it was her natural color, instead of the pallor of near death. Her long reddish-blonde locks were tied back from her face, and blankets were pulled up to her waist, though a large fire raged in the hearth. She looked up from her soup when the cousins entered the room, her gray eyes sharp and focused warily upon them. Alton, who was sitting by her bedside running his hands through his brown hair, began the introductions.
“Shawna, this is Dormael and his cousin D’Jenn,” he explained, holding a hand out towards them, “They are…involved…in your situation, and we have become friends.”
“I…think I remember you,” she said lowly to Dormael, her gray eyes narrowed in his direction, “I think I had a dream about you. You were in the middle of a great storm, and there was lightning everywhere…why are you here?”
“Dormael brought you here, Shawna. He found you with that injury, and you led him here,” Alton answered for Dormael.
“Well, lady, what your cousin says is true. I found you just outside of the South Gate. You still had an arrow sticking from your side and you and your horse both were near death. I sneaked you past the guards and got you in here, and you awoke and told me that you were looking for Alton, here,” Dormael explained, indicating Alton with his uninjured arm, “I’m not surprised that you don’t remember…you were unconscious most of the time. As for the lightning, well…we’ll talk about that later.”
Shawna raised her eyebrows in a confused expression at Dormael’s comment, but said nothing else on the matter. She gazed around the room, taking in the appearance of Dormael and D’Jenn, and then looking to the armoire where her belongings were packed away. She scooted further back against the headboard of her bed, wincing slightly with the pain that Dormael thought must still be haunting her injured side. She looked at the two cousins again, and gave a loud sigh.
“I guess I should thank you then, for your help,” she admitted quietly, “I thought I could make it here on my own…but I guess…I mean, I never realized…”
“It’s of no moment,” Dormael assured her, “I don’t require any thanks or recompense. What we all would like to know, my dear, is how you came to be here in the first place.”
“Indeed,” said D’Jenn, “we all have information to share tonight.”
“I think that’s a discussion for my cousin and me,” Shawna announced, “While I thank you for your help, it is time for me to discuss a few things with my kin.”
“Ah, Shawna,” Alton uttered, “Dormael and D’Jenn are here to help you. They have helped me this past week or so to try and determine what could have happened to you, and have even risked their own necks to help. I understand that you haven’t known about all this, but just trust me…you’re being a little unfair.”
Shawna looked slightly abashed, and her cheeks reddened a bit, but she relented. She took another deep breath and a sip from her soup bowl, and then gazed at each of them in turn. Finally, setting her soup bowl aside, she swung her pale legs over the side of the bed and sat up straight.
“Close the door, please?” she asked D’Jenn, and he obliged her, bowing his head, “First, I have a few questions to ask. I just need to k
now a few things to determine how things have unfolded since…well, since it all started.” Dormael had seen her face twist in what seemed like grief for a split second, but before he could register it, it had gone and left a business like expression on her pale face. “First, are there any Galanians in the city? Any Red Swords?”
“Yes,” Dormael answered quietly, “They are being housed in the castle here, and are asking questions about you all over Ferolan. Starting tonight, they’ll be rounding up Sevenlanders as well, but we’ll talk about that later, also.” Alton gave him a questioning look, but he waved him off with a negligent hand and assured him he would tell them everything once Shawna had finished her story.
“Second,” Shawna went on, “did I have all of my belongings when you found me? I haven’t been robbed?” At this, Dormael and D’Jenn gave her a sharp, penetrating look which caused her to falter slightly, but recover an instant later. The two cousins looked at each other with raised eyebrows as Dormael answered her.
“Yes, your belongings were indeed intact,” he replied, “Alton had them all stored in there,” he indicated the armoire opposite the bed, “and before you ask, I have not looked through them or touched them in any way.”
“I didn’t mean to accuse you of…well, it’s no matter,” Shawna replied, shaking her head, “Alton…I have to leave the city. I’m sorry to come to you like this but I have to leave now. Father is…well…he’s dead.” Dormael saw that grief-filled expression flash across her face again and disappear just as quickly. The room grew quiet momentarily and Alton took Shawna’s hand and squeezed reassuringly. Dormael and D’Jenn looked at the floor, feeling a little embarrassed.
“They…the Red Swords, I mean…they came to our manor. They killed all the guards…Alton…it was horrible!” The grief finally won out in the war that was Shawna’s emotions, and she broke down into pained sobbing while Alton tried to comfort her. Dormael felt out of place here, and D’Jenn was rubbing his goatee, staring intently at the floor, anything not to look at the redheaded girl who was now sobbing quietly. After a few minutes her crying subsided and she apologized to the two Sevenlanders, who held their hands up and assured her there was nothing to apologize for. Finally, gathering her emotions back into a tight ball and burying them deep inside her, she continued.
“They were looking for something…I didn’t know what. When I awoke that morning I could hear the battle going on, the fight between the Red Swords and the guards. I got up and into my gear as fast as I could, and that’s when father came in. He said that he had told the servants to saddle our horses and he wanted us to ride immediately, but it was too late. They…they got into the house, and I fought them as hard as I could, but there were too many. They took us all captive and kept us in father’s sitting room. When their leader came in, he had a piece of mother’s jewelry…the armlet that the King had gifted her, and he started to ask questions. He was beating…he was beating Lya and Anna…trying to get father to answer him, but father didn’t know what he wanted. They…killed my sisters right there, Alton. Just cut them down right there in front of us. Father…well, he just stared at them. Just stared at their bodies lying there on the floor. Then…the leader said something to father, and father went crazy. He just ran at the Galanian and started punching and kicking and trying to choke him. That’s when I broke loose…I used the confusion to take one of their swords. I killed two of the Red Swords, but when I looked over Dad was lying on the floor. Then…then the leader came after me, and I killed him, too. I didn’t know why they wanted it, but I took mother’s armlet and ran. I ran down the stairs…there were more men in the house, but I was able to sneak by them. When I got outside I heard more of them talking somewhere out on the grounds, but I went around the back and ran to the stable and found Charlotte all ready to go, and I fled. I think one of them must have heard me, because the next thing I know I had been shot with that arrow. I think they found the bodies upstairs then, because they were all yelling and running around, but they didn’t chase me…I got away. I ran all night. I’m sorry I brought this to you, but I didn’t know where else to go, Alton. I just didn’t know where else to go.”
“I’m sorry, Shawna,” soothed Alton, “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m…Houseless now Alton. I don’t have anything…no family…nothing,” Shawna muttered dejectedly. Alton said nothing to this, just squeezed his cousin’s hand and gave Dormael a look that said she was telling the truth. Dormael looked over at D’Jenn, who was shaking his head in pity.
“You can rebuild, cousin.”
“You and I both know that isn’t possible,” she spat, “the Galanians took everything, probably took the horses and anything of value they found. Probably burned my home to the ground…I have nothing.” Sadly enough, Dormael agreed with her. He remembered the letter that had ordered the Colonel to ‘make it appear some horrible accident’. Fire was the usual cover-up in those situations.
“We grieve for your loss, Shawna,” D’Jenn said to her consolingly, “In our home, we value nothing so much as our families, and we feel deeply troubled by all of this.”
“Indeed,” added Dormael.
“You…you’re Sevenlanders, aren’t you?” Shawna asked, appearing to really see the two cousins for the first time.
“Yes,” replied D’Jenn, “I am D’Jenn.” He gave her the formal bow, his right hand closed in a fist over his heart.
“Dormael,” said Dormael, copying D’Jenn’s formal bow to Shawna, “and now, I think we should tell you what we know about your situation.”
“What do you mean?” Shawna asked, appearing confused by their bows and probably wondering what they could know that she didn’t.
“Tonight, Dormael and D’Jenn snuck into the castle,” Alton said a little dubiously. Shawna’s eyes widened and she looked over at the two Sevenlanders, who were standing there as if Alton had said that they had gone out for drinks.
“You don’t just sneak into a castle,” Shawna said, narrowing her eyes at the two cousins, “Who are you two, really? How did you manage that?”
“Well,” Dormael said, “we have certain talents that made things a little easier, surely you realize this.”
“You’re thieves,” Shawna said simply, but D’Jenn hissed loudly and Dormael looked like he had swallowed a rock.
“You insult us,” D’Jenn spat, “without even realizing what you say.”
“We’re not thieves,” Dormael explained, “never accuse a Sevenlander of being a thief.”
“Sorry,” Shawna said, holding her hands up, “I just meant…well, go on. Sorry.”
“It’s alright. Just remember that in the future, please,” Dormael said, waving his hand in a dismissive nature, “So…here’s what happened to us tonight. We made it into the room of the Red Sword commander here, a man by the name of Colonel Grant. We poked around a bit, and we found a letter addressed to him. It mentioned an ‘artifact’ that a girl was carrying. It could only mean you, Shawna. He was instructed to kill you and your family, and make it look like some accident. He wanted this ‘artifact’ that you have…it didn’t mention much more than that, except that this Colonel had apparently messed things up a bit by letting you escape with this ‘artifact’, and bravo to you for that. The writer was a little upset at him. The letter was signed with a ‘D’.”
“Dargorin,” Alton said darkly.
“Yes,” D’Jenn stated, “it also mentioned that Eric was being paid and given estates in Shundovia for his ‘loyalty to the Empire’. I think that Dargorin was killing two birds with one stone; buying a free hand for his minions, and ensuring that the Empire would have help when it invaded here. Sort of laying the groundwork, if you know what I mean. So it appears that he is behind this after all, but why? Why would he want this ‘artifact’ you are apparently carrying?”
“I don’t know,” Shawna answered quietly, “I don’t know what ‘artifact’ they think I have, unless they mean my mother’s old armlet. I think they’re mistaken, though…i
t’s just an old bauble.”
“Maybe,” Dormael said, “but we’ll get to that in a moment. There is something else, Alton. We overheard that I was seen coming into the city with Shawna the night that I found her. My description was given to the Colonel, and he is going to start arresting any Sevenlander he finds in the city.”
“Gods be damned,” Alton cursed, “I had hoped that we had evaded notice.”
“They didn’t mention you or if they knew where we were hiding, and I was pretty good at evading the City Guard once I entered the city. I’m fairly sure that I wasn’t seen coming here,” Dormael assured him.
“What about earlier today?”
“Well, I doubt anyone would remember us,” D’Jenn told him, “The reason that Dormael was remembered is because of Shawna. Two men, Sevenlanders or not, walking around the city is a pretty natural sight. Men tend to remember women quicker than other men, and I doubt we were looked at twice earlier today.”
“Alright,” Alton assented, though he looked troubled.
“How did you overhear that? How did you get so close to the Colonel?” Shawna asked.
“We were outside his tower window,” Dormael stated simply. Shawna’s eyes narrowed and she peered questioningly at the two Sevenlanders, who only stood there looking back at her.
“How were you outside his tower window?” she asked, “Isn’t that pretty high in the air?”
“You haven’t told her yet?” Dormael asked Alton, who only shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
“I didn’t know how to start. Just show her,” Alton replied. Shawna looked like she was about to open her mouth again to ask another question, but then she clamped her jaws shut and looked to the Sevenlanders for the explanation. D’Jenn looked over to Dormael, who shrugged over at his cousin and gazed towards the fire. D’Jenn gave a long sigh.
“As you wish,” Dormael sighed.
Suddenly the fireplace flared out into the room and belched out a ball of roiling flame which flew towards Dormael’s outstretched hand. Shawna screamed and scooted backwards onto the bed, but the fireball flew safely to Dormael, who made it hover over his opened palm. The fireball flew over to D’Jenn, and yet again a flaming bird took flight around the room, finally exploding with a tiny whooshing noise into nothingness.
The Sentient Fire (The Seven Signs) Page 10